Improvement in machines for channeling the soles of boots and shoes



LYMAN R. BLAKE. lmpr ovem'ent in Channeller' s. "7,356.

Patented Auacust 8, 1871.

PATENT OFFICE.

LYMAN R. BLAKE, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA..

IMPROVEMENT IN MACHINES FUR CHANNELING THE SULES 0F BOOTS AND SHOES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 117,856, dated August 8, 1871.

machines having two feed-wheels which support and feed the sole at the edge part thereof, a cutter or cutters which cut intoor upon the surface of the sole at or near the edge, and a vertical guide-wall or face, which determines and con trols the distance from the edge at which the channeler-knife shall enter. My present improvements relate to the method of adjustment of the mechanism to variably control the depth of the channel and its distance from the edge of the sole. My improvement consists in combining with a cutter-arm or lever made immovable longi-v tudinally, having the upper wheel-shaft journaled in it, an edge-guide made adjustably movable, toward and from the cutter or cutting-line, the shank of this edgeguide sliding in the front j ournal-stand, and not in the movable arm, and its attachments being entirely independent of the cutters or their means of attachment. The improvement also consists in journaling the front end of the upper feed-wheel shaft in a verticallymoving or vertically-adjustable block or journal box, so that, by adjusting the block or box relatively to the journal-arm or lever, the wheel is raised or lowered relatively to the cutter or cutters to variably regulate the depth of cut.

The drawing represents a machine embodying the invention. A shows the machine in side elevation. B is a front View of it. C is a plan of the front end of the pivoted arm. D is a detail section on the line a m,- E, a detail section on the line y y.

(0 denotes the base-plate; b and c, the front and rear journal-stands; d, the lower feed-wheel fixed on the end of the shaft 6, which shaft is journaled in the two stands I) c. z denotes the upper shaft journaled in the lever or arm j, which lever is hung on a pivot, g, in the rear journalstand, its front end passing through guide-cheeks h of the front stand, the feed-wheel t' on the front end of the shaft being held down to the sole or toward the wheel (1 by the stress of a suitable spring, all in the usual manner. j denotes the edgeguide, just above the wheel (I, and having a shank, k, which is supported and slides in the front stand I), the rear end of the shank having a lip, Z, through which passes the shank of an adjusting-screw, m, the screw having flanges o, embracing the opposite sides of the lip, and the front or screw-threaded end working in a nutthread in the stand. The shank of the edgeguide is supported and confined or guided by setting in a groove in the stand and by being covered by a top-plate, p. It will readily be seen that, by the screw m and these guiding-surfaces, the edge-guide is held in stationary position relatively to the tangential plane of the top of the lower feed-wheel, upon which wheel the sole is supported, and over which it is fedyand relatively to the cuttingplane of the cutter or cutters,

and that, by moving the edge-guide forward or backward by means of the adjusting-screw, the distance of the channel from the edge of the sole may be readily varied, as circumstances may require, without movement of the cutters or of the movable arm. The rear end of the upper feedwheel shaft is journaled in the rear end of the arm, but where the opposite end passes through the arm the arm is slotted vertically, so as to permit vertical movement of the shaft 2; and in the front end of the arm is a block or bearing, q, in which the shaft is supported and rotates. This box q is confined between the arm and a capplate, r, and has at its top a flange, 8, through a slot, t, in which passes the shank of an adjustingscrew, a, having collars c that embrace the flange s, the screw-threaded shank of this screw workin g in a nut-thread in the arm 1''. As the screw is turned in either direction the journal-block or box is raised or dropped, thereby raising or lowering the top-wheel and variably regulating the depth of cut of the cutters, the depth of channel being determined by the extent of projection of the cutting-edges below the tangential plane of the bottom of the top-wheel. To one side of the adjustable journal-box is fastened, by screws 10, the presser-foot as, that presses down the sole in the direct line of the cutters or directly abreast of the cutters, this foot thereby moving with the I), and made adjustable from said stand, substantially as shown and described.

3. In combination with the movable arm or lever and the cutters attached thereto, the adjustable journal-box q for raising and lowering the wheel 2', substantially as described.

4. In combination with the wheel 2', made adjustable, as described, the presser-foot an, attached to and moving with the adjustable journal-box.

LYMAN R. BLAKE.

Witnesses:

FRANCIS GOULD, M. W. FROTHINGHAM. 

